O que são estudos culturais hoje? diferentes praticantes retomam a pergunta do International Journal of Cultural Studies

A stirring question echoes through the academic landscape, a call from the International Journal of Cultural Studies, inviting seasoned practitioners to reflect: what are cultural studies today? This collection of insights, gathered from voices across continents, plunges into the very heart of this inquiry, seeking to chart the evolving terrain of a field perpetually in motion. It is an invitation to ponder the transformations, the meanings, and the stakes involved in the ongoing development and maturation of cultural studies.

As one delves into these pages, Sarah Murray posits the urgent need for a "post-digital cultural studies," a lens through which to examine our contemporary world. She argues that understanding attention economies is paramount, especially in an era rife with deepfakes, algorithmic cultures, and the nascent digital afterlife industry. Murray champions a renewed focus on attention as a form of power, asserting that the critical questions driving cultural studies remain unequivocally pertinent amidst a post-digital and post-truth landscape, much like the early Birmingham School implicitly drew attention through analyses of class and knowledge construction.

The journey continues with Ien Ang, who, reflecting on a career dedicated to the field, underscores the vital importance of institutional and material scaffolding for cultural studies to thrive. Her reflections illuminate the quiet, persistent labor of building programs, editing journals, organizing conferences, and managing professional associations - efforts that, she contends, are as crucial to the field's existence as its theoretical breakthroughs. It is a testament to the collective endeavor that ensures the continued vitality and presence of cultural studies in the academic sphere.

Other voices join the chorus, each adding a unique dimension to the multifaceted discussion. Devon Powers casts a gaze "Towards Futuristic Cultural Studies," envisioning the paths yet untrodden and the conceptual tools needed for tomorrow's challenges. Laura Guimarães Corrêa brings intersectionality to the forefront, posing it as a fundamental challenge for cultural studies in the 2020s, demanding a more nuanced understanding of interlocking systems of power and identity. Marcus Johnson and Ralina L. Joseph further elaborate on this critical theme, asserting that "Black Cultural Studies are intersectional," highlighting the inherent interwoven nature of race, culture, and power.

This assembly of perspectives reveals that cultural studies, far from being a static discipline, remains a vibrant, contested space. It is a field that constantly interrogates its own boundaries, embracing a "bricolage" of ideas and an intersectionality of questions. The contributors, through their varied explorations, collectively reaffirm that the field perpetually seeks to understand the intricate panoramas of power embedded within our contemporary cultural lives, offering not always definitive answers, but rather a rich tapestry of ongoing inquiry and engagement.